


Journey's End postlude

by asarahworld



Series: The Doctor and Rose Tyler [40]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Post Bad Wolf Bay, post bad wolf bay 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 12:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13659288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asarahworld/pseuds/asarahworld
Summary: @doctorroseprompts When did Tentoo realise what Ten had planned? Did he make any preparations–fill his pockets with things, try to convince Ten to let Rose choose, etc?





	Journey's End postlude

**Author's Note:**

> @doctorroseprompts When did Tentoo realise what Ten had planned? Did he make any preparations–fill his pockets with things, try to convince Ten to let Rose choose, etc?

He knew. Of course he knew. They had the same brain patterns, after all. He was the effect of an instantaneous biological metacrisis. So how could he not know the other Doctor’s plan?

Flipping a switch on the console (a very handy switch that he hadn’t used in a very long time, had nearly forgotten about in fact, a switch that stopped the passage of personal timelines inside the TARDIS), the metacrisis knew that he wouldn’t have long before the Time Lord him noticed the sidelined timeline. But he wasn’t about to be dropped off in a parallel world forever without first taking some of his belongings. A sonic screwdriver, of course. Tearing open the grating, he found the box of various discarded sonics. Most of them were broken or in dire need of upgrading. The Doctor stared in awe as a new screwdriver materialized in his hand.

“Oh, you are beautiful. Thanks, old girl,” he muttered, stroking the bottom of the console. He quickly replaced the old screwdrivers under the grating. Screwdriver – check.   
Psychic paper was easy enough to find and… he didn’t really need any other, bulkier, gadgets. A small box materialized on the jumpseat. A gift, from the TARDIS. He tucked in safely into his jacket pocket.

The time lock broke. The Time Lord Doctor gave the metacrisis a strange look as he turned the viewer to face him. “Darlig Ulv Stranden. There it is.”

The TARDIS materialized on the Norwegian beach in a parallel universe. He was first out of the TARDIS, ignoring Jackie’s rambling until she mentioned her baby.

“Oh, that’s brilliant. What’d you call him?”

“Doctor.” He knew that Jackie had warmed up to him since his regeneration but this, this was…

“Really?”

“No, you plum. He’s called Tony.” Ah, he ought to have known. Then again, he was born today. He turned as Rose started to realize what the Time Lord’s plan was.

Rose was looking at the other him. “But he’s not you.”

He kept his face stoic as his heart shattered.

“He needs you. That’s very me,” the Time Lord said. That Doctor could never know how it felt to only have a single heart, beating wildly in his chest, already broken.

“But it’s better than that, though. Don’t you see what he’s trying to give you?” Donna. Brilliant Donna. Of course, he knew what was happening to her too. He kept his expression carefully neutral. Finally, finally, Rose turned to look at him.

“I look like him, and I think like him. Same memories, same everything. Except, I’ve only got one heart.” And it was beating faster and harder than he could ever remember.

“Which means?”

“I’m part human. Specifically the aging part. I’ll grow old and never regenerate. I’ve only got one life, Rose Tyler.” And that terrified him. Not the growing old part. He’d been old before, kept his first face a great deal longer than most Time Lords. But to never regenerate, to have his body die and know that he wouldn’t come back… This was it. “I could spend it with you. If you want.” His heartbeat raced. One life, one heart that was already broken, on the brink of shattering.

“You’ll grow old at the same time as me.”

“Together.” Yes. He could spend the rest of his life with her.

He watched as she reached out, touching his chest to feel his single heartbeat.

And then the TARDIS was making noise and the other Doctor said that they had to go. Rose whipped around and started to follow him.

“But, it’s still not right. Because, The Doctor’s still you.”

“And I’m him.”

“All right, both of you answer me this. When I last stood on this beach, on the worst day of my life, what was the last thing you said to me? Go on, say it?” 

They stood on either side of her, one Doctor with a TARDIS, the other missing a heart.

“I said Rose Tyler.” The Doctor looked at briefly at the Time Lord, knowing that he was about to leave them in this universe.

“Yeah and, how was that sentence gonna end?” Rose asked, and the Doctor knew that it was now or never. He was either going to spend forever with Rose Tyler or she was going to demand to go with the other Doctor to their original universe.

“Does it need saying?” The Time Lord’s eyes were pained and Rose looked at him in disbelief before turning her attention to him.

“And you, Doctor, what was the end of that sentence?”

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear, the words he had avoided saying for so long, not wanting to share them with anyone, not even his other self.

Rose kissed him. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and his only coherent thought was that he was finally kissing Rose Tyler.

At the sound of the TARDIS door squeaking open, Rose abruptly broke off the kiss, turning towards the sound, running after the disappearing ship. He followed her, taking her hand. He was still here. The Doctor and Rose Tyler. Soon to be in their own TARDIS, like they should be.


End file.
